Ruth 1:4 (WEB)

Passage

They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.

Nearby Context

Ruth 1:2 The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and lived there.

Ruth 1:3 Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.

Ruth 1:4 They took for themselves wives of the women of Moab. The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth. They lived there about ten years.

Ruth 1:5 Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.

Ruth 1:6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "took", "themselves", "wives", "women", "moab", "name", and "orpah". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "took" and "themselves", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Elimelech Naomi s husband died and she..." into verse 5's "Mahlon and Chilion both died and the...", so "took" and "themselves" belong inside that flow. In Ruth context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "took" and "themselves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.